Material handling device



3 Sheets-Sheet l MATERIAL HANDLING DEVICE* Filed sept. 11, 1940 s sheets-sheet 2 1 s n y Q w .1m u H t gl 'l J :L i au l l +'l I e i :1i E. S' v L) 'I l .-1

I Y A i March 2, 1943.

v. 3.A ELLEN MATERIAL HANDLING DEVICE VFiled sept 11, 19210 s sheets-sheet s Patented Mar. 2, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MATERIAL HANDLING DEVICE Venier c.. mien, st. raul, Minn.

Application September 11, 1940, Serial No. 356,245 7 Claims. (Cl. 214-117) This invention relates to a device for handling material and particularly to a device for receiving material at one location where a supply of the material is maintained and moving the material to another location where it is discharged for use. Such devices have great utility for transporting coal from a supply place in a yard or building to a furnace or furnace hopper.`

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and efficient device which is easilyr guided and moved on wheels and which carries a receptacle adapted to be lowered for conveniently receiving material and to be elevated so that the material can be conveniently dischargedto a hopper or other member.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for handling material comprising a frame having supporting wheels at its front, one or more caster wheels at its rear portion, guide means on said frame, a receptacle adapted to be raised and lowered along said guide means with means on said frame for raising and lowering said receptacle.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device for handling material comprising an easily portable frame, spaced guide standards on said frame, a receptacle adapted to be loaded at its top and having a discharge outlet at its bottom guided by and disposed between said standards and means on said frame preferably motor-driven for raising and lowering said receptacle.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device for handling material comprising a portable frame adapted to be easilypushed or propelled having vertical guide means thereon, a receptacle adapted to be raised and lowered between said guide means, a motor-driven means.

for raising and lowering said receptacle and means adjacent the top and bottom of said guide means for controlling said motor and limiting the raising and lowering movement of said receptacle.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

I Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the device, some parts being shown in different positions in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a view in rear elevation of said device,

some parts being shown in 'dotted lines, some Cil.

parts being broken away and others shown in vertical section;

Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation of said device; i l

Fig. 4 is a partial view in vertical section taken substantially on line 4--4 of Fig. 5 as indicated by the arrow; Y

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken substantially on line 5;-5 of Fig. 1 as indicated by the arrow; Y

Fig.-6 is a vertical section taken substantially on line 6--6 of Fig. 5 as indicated by the arrows;

and l v Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on line 1--1 of Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrows:

Referring to the drawings a device is shown comprising a frame I0. While this frame might be variously constructedin the embodiment of the invention illustrated it comprises a lower portion disposed substantially horizontally and in rather close proximity to the floor or supporting surface. Said portion is illustrated as formed by a channel having a front side Illa and side portions Illb extending at right angles to side Illa. A bar Illc extends between and connects the rear'ends of portions Illb. Ayoke-like member Illd extends between portionsv lub somewhat adjacent the frontv ends thereof `and inY a plane somewhat below the plane of portions Ib, member Id having armsllle securedthereto which as shown in Fig. 6 extend upwardly and forwardly to the front side IIJ'a. Another member I0f also illustrated as a channel having its flanges directed downwardly extends between and is secured to members Ib in the Vrear of member Ind. Frame I0 also has vertical portions Illg illustrated as made from channels having their flanges directed inwardly, members Ig being disposed at the rear ends of members Illb and thus at the rear corners of frame IIl. Members Illh are secured to the tops of members Illg and extend forwardly therefromparallel to portions Illb. A bar |01' shown as of tubular form extends horizontally between the rear ends of members Illh. A plate-like bracket I2 extends upwardly from each member Illb adjacent the front end thereof and is apertured to receive a headed and nutted bolt I3 which also passes through an aperture in member Ille. The members I3 form axles for wheels I4, which wheels are preferably equipped with pneumatic tires I5. segmental plates or corner brackets I6 are secured in horizontal position at the rear inside corners of frame I0 extending between bar IIlc and members Illb. 'Plates I6 have secured thereto at their undersides by welding or other suitable means, plates |1. Plates I6 and l1 have extending therethrough pivot members |8a secured to yokes I8 which extend downwardly from plates l1. Yokes I8 are apertured at their lower ends to receive the headed and nutted bolts |9 which form axles for the casterwheels 29. Frame I is thus supported by the wheels I4 and 20.

A standard 22 illustrated as of tubular form is disposed at each side of frame I9 somewhat adjacent the front thereof and adjacent members lb, said standards being secured at their lower ends to member Illd. Members lh are secured at their forward ends to the standards 22 respectively. Each standard 22 is provided at its inner side with a slot 22a.. Each standard 22 receives a member 23 slidable therein and shown as of cylindrical form, which member has projecting therefrom through slot 22a a portion 23a. A receptacle or bucket 25 extends'between and is secured to and thus carried and supported by the members 23. While receptacle 25 might be variously made, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated it is shown as having a boxf like top portionurectangular in horizontal cross section and reinforced at its top, by anrangle bar 25a having one flange secured-to the inner side of said receptacle and its other ange extending horizontally inward. Receptacle 25 has a downwardly tapered portion 25h below itstop box-like portion,'which portion 2517 merges into adischarge spout 25e. Discharge spout 25e is directed toward the front side of the device and is arranged to be opened and closed by a curved gate 26 having side portions 28a. pivoted on pivots 21 mounted inthe sidesof spout 25C. Portions or plates 25ehave secured thereto a yoke 28, the rear side of which is in the form of a cylindrical rod 28a which kconstitutes a handle for oscillating and operating gate 26. Brace rods 29 extend between the sides of spout 23cand guide members 23, being secured to said parts. A bracket 30 is secured to, each sideof` receptacle 25, having an upper arm `Zilla extending along the upper portion of said receptacle and a lower arm 30h secured to portionl 25D. Bracket 30 extends along the front of the guide member 22 and is apertured to have secured thereto the lower end of a cable 3|. Arbracket 32 is securedto each guide member 22 at the outer side thereof and adjacent the top thereof andsupports a stud 33 also supported in a lug A34 secured to the outer side of guide standard 22. A pulley 35 is journaled on each stud 33 over which runs the cable 3|. A bracket 31 of anglek form is secured to each side of bar |0f having an upstanding ilange through which passes a bolt 38. Bolt 38 extends into and is secured to a screw 39. Each screw 39 extends between itsbracket 31 and-a lug Illy' on member Ille.

Supported upon each screw 39 is a sheave 4D having a hub threaded on said screw. The cables 3| pass downwardly from pulleys or sheaves `35 to and around the sheaves 40and then extend inwardly to and are secured to a windlass drum 4|. Drum 4| has a front trunnion journaled-in a bracket 42 secured to bar Id and has .a rear trunnion journaled in a brackety 43 secured` to bar lf. Said rear trunnion is secured to a shaft 44a formingpart 'of a reducing-mechanism 44 driven by a motor 45 mounted upon brackets 46 extending between and having flanges secured respectively to bars |0c and If by bolts 41. Motor 45,is,ofi-a,type having arnagnetic clutch in corporatedthereiri. This motorA Wthfbeiclllicil and reducing mechanism is a standard article of commerce and per se forms no part of the present invention. A control box 48 is secured to spaced bars |979 which extend vertically between bar Id and another bar Hlm` extending parallel and above the same and also extending between and secured to members Illy. A conductor cable 49 is shown as extending from control box 48 to motor 45.

Adjacent the top of one standard 22 is secured a switch 59 which has a Contact member 50a projecting at one side thereof and adapted to be engaged by a projection 24a carried on a bracket 24, in turn secured to the side of receptacle 2.5. A similar switch 5I is mounted adjacent the lower end of one standard 22, the same having a roller stop or contact member 5|a projecting therefromalso adapted to be engaged by portion 24a. Switches 50 and 5| are arranged to be secured in different positions on the guide members 22, a series of holes'being provided for this purpose. Conductor cables 52 and 53 are shown extending respectively from switches 5l) and 5| and these will extend to the control box 48. A conductor cable 55 extends from control box 48 to some suitable source of current. A conductor cable 58 is also shown extending from control box 48 to a switch casing 51 secured to one` of the members Ig which contains a starting and stopping switch for motor 45 adapted to be operated by push buttons 58. y

In operation if the device .is tov be used for transporting coal from asupply in one location to a stoker hopper at the furnace the operator will press the proper buttonl 58 to have motor 45 v run in the direction to rotate windlass drum 4| soV that the cables 3| are unwound from said drum. This will move cables 3| so that receptacle 25 will be lowered to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l. When the receptacle reaches its lowest position lug 24a engages stop member 5|a. operating switch 5| and stopping motor 45. The operator now pushes the device to the point of coal supply. The device is very easily moved rolling readily on the tire-equipped wheels l5. It canbe easily guided as the caster wheels 20 will trail and oscillate to take the necessary position. The device will be disposed so that coal from thek coal supply can discharge into receptacle 25 andll the same. The device can then be again. moved back to the Stoker.

The operator will now press on the button 58 to'operate motor 45v so that windlass drum 4| will be rotated` towind up the cables 3|. This willmove cables 3| so that receptacle25 will be elevated thereby. Y The upward movementY of said receptacle will continue until lug 24a engages the upper stop member 50a and. this will. operate switch50 so that motor 45 will be stopped. The receptacle 25 is now in elevated position and it can be moved so that the Vdischarge chute 25e will be disposed to `discharge into theV stoker hopper or other receptacle into which it is desired to discharge the coal.

The buttons 58 in one specic embodiment of the invention in practice were of the type'which must be held in depressed p'osition to keep the motor running. When released the motor stops andthe receptacle or bucket 25` will be. maintained in elevated position either by the clutch or 'due to they fact that the. motor cannot be turned through the worm wheel which forms part of the reduction mechanismY mentioned. Often Athe lstoker hopper can be filled andreceptaclel 2 5 thenv moved thereover, with the lull,

charge of coal. The operator will move handle 28 to swing gate 26 to open position. The coal can then discharge from receptacle 25 as permitted by the descent of coal in the stoker hopper. The coal is thus moved from the supply location to the stoker without any shovelling. Heretofore it has been the common practice to shovel the coal into some cart or other vehicle at the supply place and then to again shovel it into the stoker hopper. With the present device all of this shovelling is eliminated and coal can be fed by gravity into bucket 25 at the supply location and discharged by gravity from receptacle 25 at the stoker. is easily and quickly raised and lowered by operation of motor 185 and the receptacle Ais guided accurately by the long guides 23. rI'he device is simple, the same can be made at comparatively small expense and is also made quite rugged for the use to which it is to be put.

From the above description it is seen that I have provided a simple and very efficient device for transporting and discharging coal or other material. The device can be used to handle various materials such as sand or flour and may be used with liquids. As above stated the device can be both loaded and emptied by gravity and hand shovelling of the material is eliminated. The device will have connected thereto a cable of suitable length which will in turn be connected to some current collector cooperating with a suitable trolley, rail or other current carrying member. In propelling the device the operator can conveniently take hold of member li. The device has been amply demonstrated in actual practice and found to be very successful and efflcient.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defmed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for handling material having in combination, a frame, a lower substantially horizontal portion adjacent the floor or supporting surface, wheels supporting said frame, spaced standards upstanding at the sides of said frame, members guided by said standards respectively, a receptacle secured to and disposed between said last mentioned members, said receptacle having a discharge outlet adjacent its bottom, a pulley adjacent the top of each standard, a cable running over each of said pulleys, the ends of said cables being secured to said receptacle, a windlass drum to which said cables are connected and about which they extendin opposite directions so as to be wound up or on said drum or unwound according to the rotation of said drum, a motor on said frame, means for driving said drum from said motor, a pulley disposed at each side of said drum substantially in horizontal alignment therewith, said cables running over said last mentioned pulleys respectively before passing to said drum and screws upon which said last mentioned pulleys are respectively mounted so that said pulleys will move lengthwise of said drum for guiding said cables thereto.

2. A device for handling material, recelving it at one location and discharging it at another having in combination,

The receptacle 25 l a frame, a pair of spaced brackets carried by said frame at each side thereof adjacent the front thereof, an axle` carried in and rotatable in each of said pairs of brackets, a wheel mounted on each of `said axles for supporting said frame, a caster wheel mounted at each side of said frame at the rear thereof and being swingable about a vertical axis, a tubular guide upstanding at each side of said frame, said guides having slots therein at their adjacent sides, cylindrical members movable in said tubular guides and having portions projecting through said slots respectively, a receptacle secured to and disposed between said portions, pulleys mounted at the top ofeach of said guides, a cable for each of said pulleys running over the same and having one end connected to said receptacle, pulleys mounted at the lower portion of said frame over which said cables respectively pass, a windlass drum to which said cables pass from said last mentioned pulleys and means on said frame for rotating said windlass drum and winding or unwinding said cables thereon to raise and lower said receptacle.

3. The structure set 'forth in claim 2, said receptacle having an open top through which it is adapted to be loaded and having a discharge portion at its bottom and a manually operated gate for closing and opening said discharge portion.

4. A device for handling material, receiving it at one place and discharging it at another, having in combination, a frame having a lower substantially rectangular portion, wheels carried by said portion for supporting said frame, vertical tubular standards at each side of said frame, said standards having slots at their adjacent sides, elongated guideV members movable in said standards, a receptacle disposed substantially centrally of said standards and having brackets at the sides thereof secured to said k guide members, said receptacle having a discharge spout at its bottom directed to one side of said standards, said receptacle being movable to a position above said standards and means for raising and lowering said receptacle.

5. A device for handling material, receiving it at one place and discharging it at another, having in combination, a frame havingfa substantially rectangular lower portion, wheels carried by said lower portion for supporting said frame, vertical standards extending from the sides of said lower portion, said frame having a vertical rear portion and a horizontal portion above said lower portion extending forwardly to said standards so that there is no frame portion above said lower portion forwardly of said standards, a receptacle substantially centrally disposed between said standards, brackets secured to the sides of said receptacle and secured to said guide members, said receptacle being movable by said guide members to a position above said standards, said receptacle having a closed periphery at its upper portion but having a forwardly directed spout at its lower portion and a movable closing member for said spout whereby said receptacle can discharge forwardly of said frame and means for raising and lowering said receptacle.

6. A device for moving material from one place to another, elevating and discharging the same having in combination, a frame having substantially horizontal side and end members, wheels supporting the forward end of said frame, caster wheels at the rear of said frame, an auxiliary frame extending above said frame at the rearward portion thereof, a pair of spaced standards extending from said rst mentioned frame to a point above said auxiliary frame and at the front of the 1atter said standards forming guide members, membersmovable along Vand guided by said guide members, a receptaeleex` tending between and supported by said last mentioned members, said receptacle having a discharge outlet projecting at its forward side and disposed` over the forward portion of said rst mentioned' frame andmeans on said frame for raising and lowering said receptacle at will whereby material can be loadedinto said receptacle when it is in its lowered position, said receptacle then elevated and said material discharged over the front portion of said frame.

7. A device for moving material from one placeto another, elevating and discharging the same having in combination, a frame having substantially horizonta1 side and end members, axles supported in said frame adjacent its forward end, spaced tire-equipped wheels carried on said axles disposed within said frame and rearwardly of the front side thereof, smaller caster wheels supporting said frame at the rear corners thereof, an auxiliaryy frame extending above said rst mentioned fra-me at the rear portion thereof, tubular standards extending from said main frame to a point well above said auX- iliary frame and at the forward portion of the latter, the same forming guide members, members movable in saidv standards and having portions extending through the adjacent sides thereof, a receptacle carried by said last mentioned members and extending between said standards, means. on said frame under the control of the operator for elevating said members and receptacle to a point above the tops of said standards, said receptacle having a forwardly projecting discharge spout disposed above the front portion of said rst mentioned frame, means for opening and closing said spout whereby material can be loaded into said receptacle when in its lowered position, said receptacle elevated above said standards and said material discharged over the forward portion of said rst mentioned frame.

VERNER G. ELLEN. 

